Yoga mat with additional features

ABSTRACT

An accessorized yoga mat includes at least a mat including at least two configurations, a rolled configuration, and an unrolled configuration; a closure mechanism that secures the mat in the rolled configuration; and a carrying strap removably engaged to the mat and capable of supporting the mat during transport.

BACKGROUND

Yoga mats are flexible mats that can be rolled out during an exerciseclass to give a user comfort and protection from slipping. A yoga mat isgenerally a strip of material in a rectangular shape working to providetraction and a clean exercise space for the user. They are typicallydesigned in a portable fashion allowing the user to easily transport themat to and from exercise classes.

Such yoga mats are widely used yet often lack additional features neededto carry personal items, promote cleanliness, and enable easiercarrying. If a user wishes to bring equipment to the exercise class,such as a water bottle or money, they must carry it separately fromtheir mat. While the mat works to ensure a clean exercise space, itdoesn't improve personal hygiene for the user. Thus, there remains aconsiderable need for a yoga mat with additional features forcleanliness. Finally, carrying such a mat is mostly either done in a bagor simple handle.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,015,881 to Kress shows one approach to the cleanlinesschallenge. In Kress, a yoga mat includes a rubber mat with an attachedbamboo grid overlay. In between, a towel engages the mat, allowing fortraction on the bamboo grid wile the towel captures the yogi'sperspiration. This is an interesting approach but it does not solve someof the carrying challenges and its nearly full-length towel overlooksmany yogi's desire to be in contact with the mat as much as practicableand not a towel or grid.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,539 to Alane shows a handle attached to a yoga mat.The handle attaches at the center of the mat and can be used as ashoulder strap. Alane's handle is not removable, however, and thus itcan be in a yogi's way during practice. Further, its placement at thecenter of the mat does not allow for other ways of carrying the mat suchas diagonally across a chest or with more room for maneuver over ashoulder.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

An accessorized yoga mat includes at least a mat including at least twoconfigurations, a rolled configuration, and an unrolled configuration; aclosure mechanism that secures the mat in the rolled configuration; anda carrying strap removably engaged to the mat and capable of supportingthe mat during transport.

The mat will be described in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mat with accessories.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the common ring and its engagement to otherrings.

FIGS. 3-5 are detailed views of the mat closure mechanism.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show details of the towel and engagement between the toweland mat.

FIGS. 8A-8E, 9 and 10 show details of the edge wrap.

FIG. 11 shows the yoga mat in the unrolled configuration.

FIGS. 12-15 show another embodiment of the mat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-11 show the yoga mat with accessories 100 described herein, withdifferent of the views showing close ups of certain features.

FIG. 1 shows an accessorized yoga mat 100 comprising a mat 110 includingat least two configurations, a rolled configuration, and an unrolledconfiguration. In the unrolled configuration, the yoga mat is in itstraditional rectangular flat form, and in the rolled configuration, oneshort edge of the yoga mat 110 will be curled under and rolled until themat 110 is in a substantially cylindrical shape that is suitable fortransport. [0013 a] FIG. 11 shows an overview of the yoga mat 100 in anunrolled configuration. In such a configuration, the mat 100 includes atowel 160 attached to the mat 100 via snaps 165. This also shows the topand bottom edge wraps 112,114 and a preferred length of the towel 160compared to the overall length of the mat 100: 50%-75% the length of themat 110.

The accessorized mat 100 may include a closure mechanism 130 as shown inFIGS. 3-5 that secures the mat in the rolled configuration. The closuremechanism 130 may include a storage compartment 132 and hook and loopclosure straps 134 that secures the mat 110 in the rolled configurationby wrapping around the mat 110. The closure straps 134 may be removablefrom the closure mechanism 130.

The closure mechanism 130 may removably engage an edge wrap 112, 114engaged to the mat 110 at a closure mechanism engagement area 139 andmat engagement area 119. As shown, this engagement is a hook and loopengagement to a top side 131 of the mat 110, although it should beunderstood that the engagement could be to a bottom side 133 of the mat110. The top side 131 refers to the side of the mat that is inwardlyrolled and the bottom side 133 is outwardly facing, as best seen in FIG.8.

The closure mechanism 130 may include a pocket that can be accessed by azipper or other sealable means, for storage of money or cell phone. Itshould also be appreciated that as shown in FIG. 5, the closuremechanism 130 may be separated from the mat 110 and used as a standaloneaccessory.

The accessorized yoga mat 100 may include an edge wrap 112 that isattached to an edge 111 of the yoga mat 110 and in this case a top edgeof the yoga mat 110, where a top edge is usually an edge where a yogapractitioner more normally faces during practice. The edge wrap 112 maybe a cleansable fabric or other material for use in an athletic, andparticular, a sweat-inducing setting. Such materials may include cotton,microfiber, polyester, etc. An opposing bottom edge wrap 114 is on abottom edge of the mat 110. The edge wraps 112, 114 serve two purposes,one being to assist in engagement of certain straps and fixtures to themat 110, as described below, and the other to add some weight and/orstability to the mat 110 such that the mat 110 lies flat in use, sinceyoga mats often curl up when unrolled.

The accessorized yoga mat 100 may also include a carrying strap 150removably engaged to the mat 110 and capable of supporting the mat 110during transport. The carrying strap 150 may be removable from the mat110 via hook and loop, snap, or ring engagement as shown. The carryingstrap 150 can be adjustable length and the carrying strap rings at theends of the carrying strap 150 may be wrapped inside removable endsleeves to prevent metal-on-metal jingling during transport, oralternatively after removal, the sleeves may also act as handholds whilethe carrying strap 150 is used during certain movements in yogapractice. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 8A-8E, the edge wrap 114 wrapsaround a mat-engaging portion 152 of the carrying strap 150.

As noted, the carrying strap 150 may be engaged to mat 110 through a matstrap 117, and the mat strap 117 is itself attached to the mat 110and/or the bottom edge wrap 114. The mat strap 117 may be separate fromthe carrying strap 150 or a single piece therewith, and the mat strapmay be attached to the mat 110 or attached to the edge wrap 114, or allthree of the mat strap 117, edge wrap 114, and mat 110 may be connectedto one another through a common connection 116. The connection betweenthese is preferably though stitching.

FIGS. 8B-8E show different cross sectional embodiments through 8B-8B,8C-8C, 8D-8D, and 8E-8E in FIG. 8A In FIGS. 8B and 8D, the mat strap 117is engaged to either side of the mat 110, which may result in a moresecure engagement between the mat strap 117 and the mat given that thecommon connection 116 could compress the soft mat 110 between layers ofthe mat strap 117. Alternatively as shown in FIGS. 8C and 8E, the matstrap 117 may be on one or the other side of the mat 110. This may beadvantageous to speed production and assembly, and also to present aflatter mat 110 during practice.

The mat 110 may further include a towel 160 that is detachably attachedthereto as best seen in FIGS. 6,7, and 9. The towel 160 may be anywashable material that absorbs sweat and moisture that may accumulateduring intense sessions. The towel is secured to the mat 110 in order toprevent movement during practice, and the attachment may include snapslocated on the towel 165 and mat 115 respectively. The attachment ispreferably located along a perimeter of the mat 110.

As shown, the towel is engaged to the top side, top edge of the mat 110since that is the place where the most sweat will accumulate from thepractitioner's head. The towel may extend for the length of the top side131 of the mat 110, but there is an advantage to the towel onlyextending from half to 75% of the length of the mat to allow apractitioner's feet to be free to engage the mat 110 and not a towel,which encourages better traction and balance between a practitioner'sbare feet and the mat 110.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the mat strap 117 may include a mat ring 118that engages a common ring 178. The common ring 178 may have a hingedopenable portion 179 similar to a carabiner for engagement to otheryoga- or related accessories such as a water bottle 180 having a waterbottle ring 188 that can engage the common ring 178, or a strap ring 158on the strap. Any or all of the rings may be openable like the commonring 178, although only one openable ring is required for multipleaccessory engagement.

FIGS. 12-15 show another embodiment of the mat 1200 having end wraps1212, 1214. The end wraps 1212, 1214 include engaging teeth of a zipper1220. In its rolled up storage state, the mat 1200 can be securelyclosed using the zipper 1220 for easy storage and transport (using anoptional strap 150). The mat 1200, of course, can be unrolled for use asan athletic mat, with the end wraps 1212, 1214, laying flat during theworkout.

While the invention has been described with reference to the embodimentsabove, a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand thatvarious changes or modifications may be made thereto without departingfrom the scope of the claims.

1. An yoga mat comprising: a mat including at least two configurations,a rolled configuration, and an unrolled configuration; a closuremechanism that secures the mat in the rolled configuration, wherein theclosure mechanism is a zipper.
 2. The yoga mat of claim 1, furthercomprising edge wraps attached to both edges of the mat.
 3. The yoga matof claim 2, wherein the zipper is engaged to the edge wraps.
 4. The yogamat of claim 3, wherein the edge wrap wraps around a mat-engagingportion of a carrying strap, wherein the carrying strap is engaged tomat through the edge wrap.
 5. The yoga mat of claim 4, wherein thecarrying strap, mat, and edge wrap are engaged to one another through acommon connection.
 6. The yoga mat of claim 5, wherein the commonconnection is stitching.
 7. The yoga mat of claim 4, wherein thecarrying strap and the mat are secured to one another through stitching.8. The yoga mat of claim 1, further comprising a towel detachablyengaged to a top side of the mat.
 9. The yoga mat of claim 8, whereinthe detachable engagement between the towel and the mat is accomplishedthrough a snap.
 10. The yoga mat of claim 1, wherein a carrying strap isremovably engaged to the mat through a mat strap engaged to the mat. 11.The yoga mat of claim 10, wherein the mat strap includes a mat ring,wherein the carrying strap has a strap engaging ring that engages themat ring.
 12. The yoga mat of claim 11, further comprising a waterbottle having a bottle engaging ring that engages either of the mat ringor strap engaging ring.
 13. The yoga mat of claim 12, further comprisinga common ring having an openable portion, the common ring beingengageable through the opening portion to the carrying strap and matstrap.